Case Study
Redesigning a creative research studio’s website to better reflect their personality, clarity, and capabilities
Visit Website
A redesigned dashboard providing users with clearer navigation, personalised content, and easy access to key actions.
I began by collaborating with Folk’s founders to understand their goals and challenges. They wanted a site that would better reflect their creative, intelligent approach to research, while making their services and case studies more accessible to potential clients.
I explored multiple design directions in Figma, presenting two distinct concepts to spark discussion and align on tone. We selected one to move forward, then refined layouts and content structure to improve clarity, storytelling, and visual engagement.
Throughout the project, we shared async updates via Loom and Figma, with feedback rounds focused on both the design direction and written content. Once finalised, the site was built in Framer and tested for polish across devices and browsers.
Balancing personality with clarity
Folk wanted a website that communicated their creativity and originality without feeling vague or overly abstract. I worked closely with the team to strike the right tone through design choices, layouts, and carefully structured content that felt thoughtful, intelligent, and approachable.
Showcasing work without giving too much away
Much of Folk’s client work is confidential, so we needed to highlight their impact without relying on traditional case study formats. The solution was a modular layout that allowed them to share high-level project stories while keeping sensitive details private.
Creating spark in a minimal system
The design needed to feel clean and professional but also have character. I used expressive typography, subtle animation, and layered imagery to bring warmth and depth without compromising usability or performance.
Folk is a creative research and strategy studio that helps organisations understand people and culture to shape better products, brands, and experiences. They work across sectors including tech, design, government, and social impact, combining thoughtful research methods with a strong sense of narrative.
Folk brings together research, synthesis, and storytelling to translate complexity into clarity through insight-led creative thinking.
I joined Smash as the sole designer following the MVP and became a key figure in shaping the platform’s next evolution. Beyond design, my role expanded into project management, QA testing, and strategic input, working directly with founders, developers, and QA testers.
Where I made the biggest impact:
My relationship with Smash is ongoing, and I continue to support the team as we develop new features, improve the platform, and grow the user base.
Folk’s previous website didn’t reflect the level of creativity, depth, or care they bring to their client work. It lacked structure, personality, and wasn’t effectively communicating their offer to potential partners.
Key goals for the redesign included:
I led the full website redesign and build, working directly with Folk’s co-founders. My responsibilities included:
I also collaborated asynchronously with their internal designer Ian McClaren to ensure the design aligned with their evolving brand and internal direction.
Clearer presentation of what Folk does
The new site introduces Folk’s services, approach, and values in a clear, modular structure to help potential clients quickly understand who they are and how they work.
Confident but personal design
Expressive typography, soft animation, and a thoughtful layout system give the site both professionalism and warmth.
Modular, scalable structure
The CMS setup in Framer allows Folk to easily add new project highlights, journal entries, or updates without requiring a designer or developer.
Subtle interactivity
Hover states, transitions, and scroll effects bring the site to life in a calm and intentional way that reflects Folk’s thoughtful approach.
The new call out flow allows matchmakers to gather targeted submissions and share curated pitches with discoverers.
Smash Pro introduces a paid tier with premium features, designed to support growth while keeping the platform accessible.
A streamlined onboarding flow improves user activation by guiding creators through their first steps on the platform.
An improved pitch creation experience helps creators build professional, investor-ready presentations with ease.
An integrated AI feature that helps creators refine and strengthen their project synopses with smart, context-aware suggestions.
The new site positions Folk Research as a confident, creative, and capable partner. As they continue to grow, the website will serve as a foundation for sharing new thinking, highlighting emerging work, and connecting with the kinds of clients and collaborators who value their unique approach.
We’re continuing to explore small refinements and future updates as the studio evolves.
Send me an email or connect on LinkedIn.
Alternatively I always leave slots open in my calendar to talk about how I can help your business.
